Nurses complete many tasks throughout the day to ensure patients feel safe and comfortable. Various tasks are essential to the well-being of the patients. Machines must be properly maintained by the medical staff to ensure they work properly. One machine that requires careful attention is an autoclave. Autoclaves are important because they use steam to kill harmful bacteria on medical instruments. This guide explains how to properly maintain an autoclave machine, so read on to learn more.
Why It’s Important
It’s important to understand how to properly maintain an autoclave machine so the machine lasts longer. If the autoclave stops working out of nowhere, it may require replacement. This results in unplanned downtime. Proper maintenance is important because it extends the life of the machine. An autoclave must function properly because it ensures patients and professionals are safe.
Routine Maintenance
The autoclave machine should undergo routine maintenance to ensure it functions properly. The ability to identify the components of an autoclave machine makes the maintenance much easier. Make sure the chamber is cleaned frequently. It’s important the autoclave is wiped down after each run to avoid corrosion. If something spills inside the chamber, wipe it up with non-chlorinated water immediately. It’s also important to check the values quarterly to ensure they work properly.
Yearly Maintenance
Many parts of an autoclave machine require yearly maintenance. Reach out to a professional service to ensure the autoclave machine is properly inspected and serviced. The number of times this occurs depends on how often the machine is run. Keep a record of when the autoclave machine is serviced, who it was serviced by, and what exactly was done. This ensures the yearly maintenance is consistent.
Everyone should do their part to keep the autoclave functioning properly. Assign someone to clean it each day to ensure that the chamber drain strainer is free of debris. Encourage others to wipe up spills in the chamber immediately. Proper maintenance is beneficial to the medical staff and patients, so it’s very important.
